


When the Stars Go Out

by Gypsywriter135



Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, But he's the villian, Friendship, Memory Loss, Original Character(s), Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons, and he doesn't show up much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-12
Updated: 2013-04-18
Packaged: 2017-11-29 02:37:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/681757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gypsywriter135/pseuds/Gypsywriter135
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Time is irrelative between their worlds. When a new villian, one that doesn't play by the normal rules, surfaces, everything is game and no one is safe. All bets are off when the Big Four are brought together again, though this time with a twist in their fate. They are going to have to work together, face their fears, and unravel time if they ever want to succeed in their quest.</p>
<p>Otherwise, evil will triumph, and it is so much more than they have ever come face-to-face with before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta'd or proofread. Read at your own risk.

There is a cave at the bottom of the sea. 

It is difficult to find, surrounded by mountainous rocks and much too deep for a human to venture without the proper equipment. It lies in an underwater pocket of fresh water that houses strange creatures the likes of which have never been seen before. Stalagmites and stalactites litter the surrounding floor and ceiling, water dripping from them slowly as it fills the pond. 

The cave is not deep, but it is very dark. It is cold and wet and slippery and slimy, plants and fungus and bacteria growing on its walls, though they are not any species that has ever been seen by humans before. The smell is musky, mixing with the scent of earth and salt water.

A shape lives here. He is not animal, though he is not quite human either. He can melt into the walls and uses the darkness as cover. His dark red eyes, should they ever lay their gaze on another being, are cold and unforgiving; they are the last thing people see when they venture too far below.

The creature is the reason there are legends of sea monsters and myths that go farther back than anyone can remember. He relishes in the tales, for though he dwells deep, he has taken the occasional trip to the surface world.

That sound coming from the toilet pipes, the groaning of the water pressure in house basements, the flooding of sinks are not what you think; there is a reason your drain gets plugged up. The mass floods and huge tidal waves are his creations.

He keeps the Kraken as a pet; the Loch Ness Monster is his to command. He speaks every language, he knows all, and he is patient. He makes a game of it, trying to entertain himself in the solitude of his home.

This creature is not lonely; no, far from it. He relishes the quiet, peacefulness of solitude. But that does not mean that he does not get bored.

Three hundred years ago, a boy fell in a lake and drowned. He watched with glee as the bubbles from the child’s mouth floated up, reflecting in the moon’s light. He watched as, one by one, the bubbles popped at the surface until there were no more. The boy at the bottom of the lake moved no more, and the creature swirled around him, taking in the scent.

A new game formed in his mind, and he cackled with glee, retreating to his home to watch and wait. He observed the boy through the years, watching carefully, hidden unknowingly just below him.

And after three hundred years, the creature could wait no more. The walls of the cavern echoed with his laughter, a haunting sound like a high-pitched fog horn.

There is a cave at the bottom of the sea.

And it is the only place where the Man in the Moon’s gaze cannot reach.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's great having someone proof-read and edit stuff for you! :D It's also great to have that same person be creative enough to bounce ideas off of and discuss things like this, even if they only understand half of what I'm saying, lol.
> 
> So, for the first time in probably ever, I have a chapter/story that is proof-read and beta'd! :D
> 
> Enjoy!

 Merida’s red hair swung in the air around her as she flipped her head around from where she was unsaddling Angus, her eyes widening as she caught sight of a small blue plume of smoke in the woods surrounding the clearing. It beckoned to her with a small, soft musical noise, waving its tendrils towards the forest. Merida could already see a few more little flames behind it, guiding the way they obviously wanted her go.

 “A wisp?” she asked herself softly.

 Angus nickered softly in warning next to her, nudging her hand.

The Scottish girl turned her head back to her horse, frowning and petting the animal gently in reassurance. She took the saddle in her arms and set it on the ground.

This was the last thing that Merida DunBroch expected to see when she set out on a short morning ride before breakfast. 

Merida wrinkled her nose in confusion before standing straight and turning back to Angus,  patting his giant nose.

“We don’t need these little ones, do we?” she said to the horse, who stomped his mighty feet. “Not after what happened with them last time.”

Angus flipped his head up in agreement, snorting, eyes wide as he eyed the tiny blue flame in the forest entry warily.

The wisp only gestured once more before going out in a flash, the others behind it following suit not long after. When Merida chanced a glance back a few moments later, there was nothing but the trees and the bushes. She nodded to herself and sat down in the soft grass, taking out her bow and her small knife, carving small designs into the wood of the weapon to pass some of the time. She didn’t have to be back at the castle for another few hours yet, and so took advantage of the beautiful sunshine and the crisp autumn air.

Colorful leaves fluttered around her with the breeze, making the branches on the trees shift and the smell of dirt floated around the girl, making her sigh with a smile and she briefly closed her eyes, basking in the freedom.

There was a crunch, suddenly, from the forest and Angus snapped up his massive head from where he was grazing contentedly, ears pricking forward as he gazed at the wood. Merida glanced towards the sound as well.

“It’s okay, Angus,” she cooed. “It’s probably only a rabbit or something.”

Angus snorted, eyes white and wide, and swished his tail once.

There was another crack, this one closer, and Angus’ breathing picked up as he began to pace, coming to stand close to Merida as she stood, a firm grip on her weapon as her fingers itched to grab the saddlebag that held her arrows, which lay on the ground a few feet away from her.

A third crack echoed through the clearing and Angus flinched, tossing his head once more and fidgeted. Merida reached out a hand towards his large neck when something came whistling out of the woods and caused Angus to rear. Merida fell down in surprise, eyes wide as the horse took off in the opposite direction, instinctual fear clouding his normal judgment of staying with his human friend.

“Angus!” Merida cried, but the horse’s tail soon vanished from her sight. She groaned and glanced about her, frowning when there was another crack and a small rabbit hopped out into the clearing. The tiny animal was grey with darker markings and big, green eyes.

Merida stared at it for a few seconds before she rolled her eyes and stood, brushing off her dress as she did so. She walked over to her bag, taking out a single arrow and notching it in her bow, turning to aim it at the bunny. The little creature stared at her with wide eyes, glancing between her and the weapon, before it took off into the woods. Merida’s arrow followed it briefly, missing as it hopped to the side quickly; the tip got stuck in a tree and Merida relaxed her pose, frowning.

“So close,” she muttered, stalking over to retrieve her arrow. As she bent over, there was a soft sound, like a hum, and her vision was suddenly filled with blue. Merida let out a shriek and stumbled backwards, clutching her bow to herself tightly. She glared at the offending Wisp.

“Go away, will you?” she said, standing straight. She watched as the Wisp, much closer than one had ever been to her before, only made quick gestures, trying to make her follow it. More appeared behind it, making the beginnings of a trail that Merida was apparently supposed to follow.

“I will not follow ye,” she told the little creature. “The last time you were here, you messed everything up.”

_Though perhaps not_ everything, Merida thought. Though she’d never say that out loud. Her and her mother still fought; they were too different not too. But they were also much closer and got along more often than they argued.

The Wisp gestured again, this time a little more urgently, it seemed. Merida stared at, thinking, before she shook her head.

“No. No, I won’t. Things went wrong last time, and I will not be responsible for anything this time,” she told the little blue smoke creature.

The Wisp said nothing, only waving once more.

Merida shook her head one final time before she turned back to the clearing and headed towards her saddlebag; she’d have to walk back home now.

“All because of a bunny,” she muttered and then hefted the large saddle in her arms, slinging her bow and arrow bag over her shoulder for easier carrying. She took a step forwards, towards home, before stopping.

Merida bit her lip, chewing on it thoughtfully, before she glanced over her shoulder. The little Wisp was still there. She raised her leg to take another step when she rolled her eyes and dropped the saddle, turning on her heel and running into the woods, following the Wisps as they lead her deeper into the forest, the blue light the only thing to light her way as the trees began to block out the sun.

After quite some time, Merida came to a different clearing. The little mythical creatures had led her to a small lake in the center. One last Wisp remained in front her, sitting directly over the lake.

“You’ve got to be joking,” Merida groaned, lowering her bow and arrow, which she had drawn as she had entered the clearing, just in case.

The final Wisp gestured once more before it went out, leaving Merida alone. The trees had thinned out some, but the sun peeking through the branches was scattered, dotting the lake and leaving portions of it doused in darkness. Merida gulped, taking a cautious step forward and peered over the edge of the lake. The water was a dark, murky color, making even the shallower parts difficult to see the bottom of. There were no ripples across it, even though there was a breeze. No leaves fell on it, and there was no sign of life coming from underneath the water.

_Why would the Wisps lead me here?_ Merida thought, frowning at her reflection in the water. She glanced around the clearing once more, thinking maybe the Wisps were still around somewhere, but she was alone.

When she turned her attention back to the pond, she narrowed her eyes. There had been a flash underneath the water in the sun, moving towards the shadowed area closest to her. There was no other sign that something was there, and if Merida didn’t have a keen eye, she wouldn’t have caught it.

Merida took up her bow once more, forever cautious-and a little hungry-and aimed it at the darker shadow that moved slowly towards her. It stopped about three feet from her and stilled just below the surface. The red head took a step forward, careful not to get her feet wet, and craned her neck to get a better glance at it. She narrowed her eyes, not able to see anything besides her reflection with a dark shadow beneath it.

That is, until Merida noticed that her reflection’s eyes were glowing red instead of her own light blue color.

She gasped, taking a step backwards as she let her arrow fly. It pierced the water and disappeared underneath, but the shadow was fast. In a flash, a strong, wet grip had grabbed her ankle and was pulling her towards the lake. Merida let out a startled cry and scrambled to the edge with one hand, while trying to get another arrow with the other, all the while kicking.

The grip was relentless, pulling her into the water and deeper into the lake, dragging Merida into the very center. She thrashed, splashing, and desperately tried to get away from her assailant, letting out a scream. Another grip wrapped itself around her other ankle and _pulled_. Merida gave a startled gasp before her head disappeared under the water.

She kicked repeatedly, trying to dislodge the grip on her legs, but no matter what, it seemed as if her attacker was always out of reach. At one point, she managed to pull herself to the surface, gulping for air before she was pulled under again.

The water was dark, and Merida could see nothing. She twisted and turned in a panic, feeling precious bubbled of air float to the surface in front of her face as they escaped from her mouth. She was drowning; she was going to die.

Her bow remained tightly clasped in her hand and, with a force that surprised her, she sliced down, hoping to catch the one holding her under. She let out a pained noise when the grip on her ankles twisted and she felt skin break. But Merida soon became even more panicked as water rushed into her mouth and nose. She struggled for air, already seeing her vision darkening around the edges.

This was it. This was the end.

The last thing Merida saw before she could see no more was a pair of red eyes swimming before her and then disappearing into the surrounding darkness, leaving an imprint on the inside of her eyelids.

And then she knew no more.

* * *

Merida opened her eyes with a gasp, sitting up as she coughed a lungful of water out, feeling tears spring to her eyes at the burn in her throat. She could see the blurry outline of someone beside her, gently rubbing her back as she tried to catch her breath. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, but the image of sinister red eyes danced across her vision and she snapped her eyes open.

Someone was speaking to her, but it still sounded like she was underwater. She tried to count her breaths, to get herself under control, and after a moment, she could hear the person telling her that she would be okay.

Her vision began to clear and she scrubbed a hand over her face, her hair matted around her, as she sat up. The gentle hand on her back didn’t falter, moving with her and it offered her a shred of comfort.

When she glanced to her side and opened her mouth to ask who her savior was, she stopped, eyes widening in surprise.

“Hiccup?!”

The brunette nodded, offering a small smile.

“You okay?”

Merida nodded and then grinned, flinging herself uncharacteristically towards the smaller boy in happiness. Hiccup wrapped his arms around her, and she gripped the back of his tunic tight.

After a minute, she pulled back, pushing her hair away from her face and beamed at the Viking.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Hiccup said. “Toothless and I were just flying over one the lakes in the forest when he saw you. Dived nearly to the bottom of the lake to grab you. You’re lucky we found when we did, otherwise, you’d be dead.”

“Still blunt as always, I see,” Merida chuckled. “But I mean, why are you in Scotland? And how in the world did you get to this era in the first place?”

Hiccup frowned. “Uh… You’re the one in Berk.”

Merida blinked. “No… I’m in Scotland. Angus and I were out for a morning ride when I saw a Wisp and when I followed it, it led me to the lake.”

The Viking boy stared at her. “Uh huh…” he said slowly. “I think you might still have some water in that head of yours.”

Scowling, Merida shook her head slightly, grabbing her hair and ringing out the ends of it. “I think I know my own country, Hiccup.”

“Whatever you say, princess.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Hiccup snickered and Merida elbowed him gently. Hiccup made a show of falling down and pouted up at her.

“Where is Toothless, anyways?” Merida looked around the clearing-the same clearing that was in _Scotland_ -and didn’t spy the black dragon anywhere.

Hiccup pointed to the forest. “Getting some wood for a fire. You’re soaked.”

“Yes, thank you for that observation.”

“I can just leave, you know.”

“No!” Merida surprised herself with the exclamation, eyes wide as she stared at her friend. She just really didn’t want to be left alone; not after nearly drowning.

“Okay,” Hiccup nodded and stood. He gave a soft whistle and Toothless came running out of the forest to stand beside the two. There was a bundle of wood in his claws and he dropped them to the ground, nudging it with one leg. Hiccup patted him on the shoulder, smiling.

“Thanks, bud.”

Toothless grinned and then nuzzled Merida. She laughed and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

“Thanks for saving me,” she said, nodding to Hiccup as well. Hiccup nodded back and began to set up a small fire, Toothless igniting the wood.

Soon, there was a warm fire going, and Merida’s hair and clothes were beginning to dry. Sometime between her near-death experience and now, it was now dusk.

With her arms wrapped around her for added warmth, Merida turned her attention to where Hiccup was sitting with Toothless wrapped around him like a cat.

“So how’ve you been?” she asked, tucking hair behind her ears.

Hiccup shrugged, tossing a stick into the fire. “Eh. Fought a dragon here, argued with a crazy sheep-loving Viking there. Same old, same old.”

Merida giggled. “How’re things with your dad?”

“Pretty good, actually,” Hiccup said. He grinned. “Got him his own dragon and everything. _That_ was an experience.”

Merida snorted. “I’ll bet.”

“And you?” Hiccup asked. “You and your mom are okay?”

The Scottish girl nodded. “We had a rough patch for a while. I got mad, turned her into a bear, things got better.”

Hiccup sat up. “You what?”

“Uh, I turned her into a bear?” Merida said, giving a sheepish smile.

Hiccup settled back against Toothless, the dragon shifting to accommodate him, and he grinned.

“ _This_ I gotta hear.”

“It’s a long story.”

“I don’t have anywhere to be tonight.”

“Won’t your dad be worried?”

“He and Gobber are out with half the village looking for a new type of fabric. It’s just us kids mostly, and Astrid’s sick, so…”

Merida rolled her eyes. “Alright, lover boy. I get it.”

“So about this bear thing…”

Merida giggled and shifted closer to the fire. “Well, it all started when she insisted on me getting married…”

* * *

The next time Merida opened her eyes, it was under much more pleasurable conditions than spitting up water all over herself. She blinked awake slowly, surrounded by warmth, and was briefly confused before she realized that Toothless was serving as a pillow and heater at the same time. She sat up and stretched, yawning, as she swept her hair out of her face. There was a mop of brown hair peeking out between Toothless’ front legs where Hiccup rested peacefully. The dragon himself blinked an eye open, looking at Merida before rustling slightly, settling down afterwards. 

Merida chuckled and stood, stretching once more, noticing that her clothes were finally dry, though her ankles still stung where the creature had tore at the skin. Merida bit her lip, bending down and lifting up her dress as she gently prodded the red skin, wincing slightly at the pain. It wasn’t too bad; a little ointment and rest would do her good. In the meantime, Merida tore off some of the cloth from her undergarment and carefully wrapped her injuries.

She put some weight on her ankles, flinching at the soft undercurrent of pain that shot up her leg, but it wasn’t unbearable. Besides, there were things that were a little more important. The fire had gone out sometime in the night, and she glanced at the Viking and his dragon briefly before she strode cautiously over to her bow and arrow, picked them up and slung them over her shoulder, and headed into the woods to gather some more fire wood.

She strolled into the forest confidently, glad to leave the lake behind her. Merida would not admit it, but she was still a little shaken up over what had happened. She had faced death before; her mother had nearly killed her and then there was Mor’du…

But Merida had never been faced with an opponent like this before. Her skills weren’t enough, and nearly drowning, having all that water fill her lungs, literally feeling herself growing weaker and her life leaving… it still gave her chills. The water was dark and she couldn’t see anything, making the entire experience worse. If Merida never swam again, it would be too soon.

She bent down to pick up a piece of wood, placing it in her arms with the other logs she had found as she wandered deeper into the forest. This was where she belonged; right here, amongst the trees and the woods and the dirt. The smell of the leaves flowed under her nose, filling her with life. The bark and the trees and the earth and the flowers… Purple flowers with a bright yellow center, sitting magnificently behind the little Wisp…

Merida let out a shriek, dropping her armful of wood as she jumped back, eyes wide. She quickly drew her bow, notching an arrow and letting it fly. It went right through the Wisp, embedding itself in the huge flower against a tree.

There was the sound of something crashing through the trees behind her and Merida drew her bow again, turning swiftly and aiming as a giant shape bounded through the woods. She only lowered it once she realized that it was Toothless, teeth out as he snarled, eyes roaming around trying to find the threat; he must have heard Merida’s scream and come running.

“What’s going on? Toothless!” Hiccup’s voice shouted, coming closer. He stomped through the forest and soon appeared, looking haggard. His gaze fell on Merida. “Are you alright?”

Merida nodded once before she narrowed her eyes and pointed towards the Wisp, which was gesturing again, and she glared.

“That thing showed up again!” she cried. She barely resisted the urge to stomp her foot.

Hiccup stared at it, coming to lay a gentle hand on Toothless, who was baring his teeth at the little blue creature, eyes narrowed. The dragon’s body lost some of its tension at his touch, but he didn’t stop growling.

“Is that one of the Wisps you told me about?” he asked, looking at it curiously.

“Yes!” Merida exclaimed. “I’m beginning to really hate the little things.”

“I thought you liked them,” Hiccup commented, walking closer and bending down to inspect the Wisp. He tilted his head as he examined.

“I _did_ ,” Merida corrected, glaring. “But that was before every time they showed up, horrible things happened.”

“Maybe they’re just trying to tell you something,” Hiccup suggested, reaching up a hand to prod at the Wisp. It went out as soon as the human’s finger came into contact with it’s smoke. Hiccup frowned, glancing to his left, deeper in the woods, where a soft musical note sounded and another Wisp appeared, several others behind it.

“I think they want us to follow them.”

Merida shook her head even as Toothless growled again. “Oh, no. The last time I followed them, I nearly drowned in a lake.”

“But you won’t be alone this time,” Hiccup grinned, turning back to her, handing her her forgotten arrow. He gave Toothless a pat before setting off after it.

Merida and Toothless exchanged a glance.

“Do you have to deal with this regularly?” Merida asked.

Toothless snorted and shook his head back and forth, stomping a foot as if to say, _I don’t know what’s gotten into him_ , before he took after the boy, Merida following close behind.

When they caught up with the Viking, Hiccup was standing yet another clearing-seriously, how many were there in this apparently worldwide connected forest that went against all rules of space and time-and was looking up at a large, gray, brick tower with a single window at the top.

“You have got to be kidding me…” Merida breathed, eyes wide.

“But this makes no sense…” Hiccup muttered. “How can this be here and how can you be here and I just… I don’t understand…”

A single Wisp remained at the base of the tower before going out with a note, leaving the three beings standing in the brightly lit clearing.

“I am so confused.”

Merida’s comment correctly summed up the situation.

Hiccup moved quickly, hopping on Toothless’ back and setting into the air, circling the tower once before swooping down to pick up Merida and then rising in the air once more. He directed Toothless to the small window, which was just barely big enough for the dragon to fit through, and they both landed on the wooden floor gracefully. Hiccup and Merida stood up straight, looking around before spotting a lump in the bed in the middle of the room.

The two exchanged glances before Merida approached the sleeping figure. She reached out a hand, gently shaking the form.

“Rapunzel? Rapunzel, wake up.”

The blonde girl shifted underneath the covers, groaning as she swatted Merida’s hand away.

“Go away. Still early.”

Merida gave Hiccup an amused look before she leaned down. “Rapunzel, wake up. It’s Merida, Hiccup, and Toothless.”

There was silence for a moment, where Rapunzel didn’t move, before the girl shot up from the bed, a grin on her face as she wrapped her arms around Merida.

“Merida!” Rapunzel cried, grinning. She spotted Hiccup and Toothless and in a flurry of movement, was on the other side, hugging the boy before moving onto his dragon. “Hiccup! Toothless!”

“Uh, hey, ‘Punzel.”

When the girl finally pulled away, she gave the two a confused smile, still as bubbly as ever. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”

“Uh, we were just gonna ask you the same thing,” Hiccup said. “I still say we’re in Berk, but Merida thinks we’re in Scotland… Where do you think we are?”

“Home, of course!” Rapunzel said. “I was helping Eugene with the flooding in the kingdom-we’ve had a huge storm and the river overflowed-and was taking a quick nap when you woke me up.”

Merida and Hiccup exchanged a glance. “This just keeps getting weirder and weirder.”

“I’ll say,” Merida agreed. She turned to their blonde friend. “So all you did was go to sleep and then woke up and you were here?”

Rapunzel nodded, smile dropping. “What else?”

“This whole situation is just odd,” Hiccup muttered. “I mean, the only one missing out of us is Jack, but he’s so far into the future that I don’t know how’d he get here.”

Rapunzel shrugged. “You’re both here with me. How much odder can it get?”

“She’s got a point,” Hiccup replied.

“You’re taking this awfully calmly,” Merida commented, raising an eyebrow.

The blonde shrugged again. “After some of the things we’ve been through, I honestly don’t know why you’re as surprised as you are.”

“Another excellent point.”

Merida rolled her eyes and turned to Hiccup. “Enough from the Peanut Gallery.”

Hiccup and Rapunzel stared at her. “What?”

It was Merida’s turn to shrug. “I dunno. Jack likes to say it so…”

“Uh huh…” Hiccup said slowly, turning his attention back to Rapunzel. “Do you know how long you’ve sleeping?”

She shook her head. “A few hours, maybe? It was afternoon when I went to bed, but it’s morning here, so I’m guessing that time is all screwy.”

“And that’s another thing!” Merida chimed in once more. “Why is time messed up?”

Hiccup stared at her again. Merida was beginning to get tired of it. “I’m not sure you’re understanding how odd it is that we can all be friends and still question the way time works…”

Merida felt her cheeks get red.

“Leave her alone, Hiccup,” Rapunzel giggled. She turned to pet Toothless, rubbing a sensitive spot and the dragon collapsed in a wiggling mess. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

“Well, he’s happy to see you.”

“Of course he is,” the blonde cooed. “Aren’t you, buddy?”

Toothless let out a small keen before he stood up and shook himself. He turned around in the small room, nearly knocking over the little knick-knacks that Rapunzel had on her shelves with his tail and massive size.

“Whoa, Toothless!” Hiccup cried, stepping forward to contain his best friend. The dragon nudged his hand away and stomped over to the window, pushing his head out and snorting into the fresh air.

“Well he obviously wants to get out of here,” Rapunzel said, grinning.

“I don’t blame him,” Merida replied before she winced slightly. “No offense.”

Rapunzel shook her head. “None taken. I hate this place. I honestly don’t even know how I ended up in here.”

“And here you were telling me not to question things,” Merida rolled her eyes.

Rapunzel shrugged.

“Are you two gonna get over here before Toothless destroys this place?” Hiccup prodded, scowling from where he sat atop the dragon.

The two princesses exchanged grins before they bounded forward and hopped on top of Toothless, the dragon taking to the sky as soon as they were settled. He flew above the tower for a few minutes, clearly enjoying being out in the open once more, before he began to descend in large, lazy circles.

That was, until Rapunzel pointed to the ground and let out a cry.

“Look!”

Her friends looked at the grass below them and Merida jumped slightly, startled. A small creature was sitting at the bottom of the castle, but even from their height, the Wisp was unmistakable.

Toothless let out a growl as soon as he saw it, and promptly dived down, snarling the closer he got to the smoke creature. When his feet touched the ground, the trio quickly hopped off, Hiccup trying to console the angered dragon.

“What’s that?” Rapunzel asked, looking at the Wisp with a mixture of curiosity and wonder.

“That,” Merida spat, glaring at the little, gesturing ball of blue light, “is a Wisp.”

“Those mythical things you told us about before?” the blonde questioned, shooting a glance to her friend. “I thought you said that they were just in Scotland?”

“So did I,” Merida muttered, still glaring. “Apparently, they are everywhere. They’ve been nothing but trouble from the first time I laid eyes on them.”

“I think they’re kinda cute,” Rapunzel gushed, stepping forward and crouching to peer at the Wisp.

“Calm down, Toothless,” Hiccup was saying, trying to contain the beast. Toothless gently but firmly pushed the human out of the way, causing him to fall backwards, before he stomped forward and roared viciously at the Wisp. The thing went out instantly and Toothless, still in a rage, turned and smacked his tail against the tower. The force of the blow caused the large structure to shake, dust and a few small rocks falling around the teens, who raised their hands over their heads to protect themselves. Toothless growled again and backed up, turned, and then bodily threw himself against the tower.

“Toothless!” Hiccup cried, eyes wide. “Stop!”

The dragon ignored him and rammed the stones again.

“Wait!” Merida exclaimed, ducking to avoid a small rain of debris and pointing. “Look there!”

Hiccup and Rapunzel both managed to glance at where the archer was pointing and to their surprise, saw a small carving in the stones in the shape of a small door. If they hadn’t been looking-or had Merida with her keen eyesight-they would have never had seen it.

“That’s what he’s trying to get at,” Rapunzel said. “I didn’t know that there was a door there.”

“Toothless, stop!” Hiccup said. “We can’t get to the door if you don’t stop and move out of the way!”

Toothless actually paused and glanced back at Hiccup, baring his teeth and breathing heavily. But he did stop and move back out of the way, allowing Merida and Rapunzel to go up to the entry. They both ran their hands over it, trying to find a way to open it.

“How do you suppose it works?” Rapunzel questioned, looking for a handle of some sort.

“I dunno,” Merida replied, running a hand over the surrounding bricks. “Maybe it doesn’t open this way. Maybe you have to push it.” She did just that, frowning when the door didn’t budge. She stepped back.

“Well, what do we do now?” Hiccup asked from his position next to a still stressed Toothless.

“Wait! Maybe there’s a button or a lever or something!” Rapunzel exclaimed. “Like when Eugene and I were at that pub!” She began to push at the bricks around the door. Merida followed her lead, doing the same on the other side.

Suddenly, the door made a sound and a dark crack appeared. Rapunzel let out a triumphant cry, grinning, and she and Merida scrambled to the opening, pushing it forward and peering inside.

There was a tunnel inside, that much was certain, but it was almost too dark to see. The smell of dirt and earth and salt reached their nostrils and Merida wrinkled hers in annoyance.

“Where do you think it goes?” Rapunzel asked.

“There’s only one way to find out,” Merida replied, shooting the other girl a small grin. She turned back to where Hiccup stood with Toothless. “Let’s get going, Hic!”

Hiccup nodded and strode forward, coming to stand next to the girls, looking into the tunnel. He frowned. “This door isn’t large enough for Toothless to fit through.”

They all looked at each other, then back at the dragon, who snorted and stomped the ground angrily.

“He can wait out here while we go down,” Merida suggested.

Hiccup scowled. “I don’t like the idea of leaving him here by himself….”

“It won’t be for too long,” Merida argued. “He’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know…”

“Guys, look! There’re more Wisps!” Rapunzel cut in, pointing into the tunnel, which turned out to be a series of staircases leading downwards, they discovered with the Wisps forming a line down them.

“Oh, great,” Merida groaned, through her head back. “More trouble.”

Toothless growled, then nudged Hiccup forwards so that the Viking was standing in the middle of the doorway. The brunette turned back to his friend and gave him an uncertain look.

“You sure?” he asked.

Toothless gave an unhappy snort, but nodded and turned his back to the trio as he began pacing in front of the tower.

“I think,” Rapunzel said, “that Toothless just said that he’ll guard the entrance while we’re down there.”

“You mean we’re really going to follow the Wisps?” Merida asked, biting her lip.

Hiccup shrugged. “Do we really have another choice? Toothless obviously wants us to go down there, and so do the Wisps…”

Merida sighed and hung her head for a moment before she reached behind her and grabbed her bow and an arrow, holding it tightly. “Fine. But I still don’t like it. I’ll go first, Hiccup, you bring up the rear.” And with her bow at the ready, Rapunzel at her back, and Hiccup giving one last wave, the trio entered the tunnel, going down the stairs as they followed the Wisps.

Soon, the entrance, along with the sunlight, disappeared behind them. The only light in the tunnel was the eerie blue light that the Wisps cast upon the walls. Water dripped from the walls as they walked, Rapunzel trailing her hands down as they went. Her long hair picked up the moisture on the ground, and Hiccup had to constantly make sure that he didn’t trip on the golden locks.

“How long is this thing?” he asked after quite some time. The trio had been silent for the majority of their descent.

“I think we’re almost to the bottom,” Merida told him, peering into the darkness. The temperature had dropped the further down they went, and the three shivered slightly.

“What’s that up ahead?” Rapunzel questioned, scrunching her eyes up as she tried to see ahead. There were only a few more Wisps that remained, and one remained by a large structure.

“It’s a well,” Hiccup confirmed once they got closer. Only a single Wisp stayed, offering a form of light in the otherwise pitch-black darkness.

“Why would the Wisps lead us to a well?” Merida asked, lowering her bow after determining there was no danger surrounding them. The bottom of the steps was barely large enough to fit the well, a small amount of cement surrounding it as a walkway around it before the walls rose up around them.

“Maybe there’s something inside,” Hiccup suggested, peering inside.

“There _is_ something inside,” Rapunzel agreed, also looking in.

“What is it?” Merida didn’t like this. The whole situation made her nervous. The darkness and the cold and the water made her shiver, and it had nothing to do with the temperature.

“I… I think it’s a person…” Hiccup said, leaning far over. Merida sucked in a breath.

“Careful!” Rapunzel warned. She looked at the pulley system, a rope and its bucket missing, that hung above the well. She turned to Hiccup. “My hair should be long enough for you to reach the bottom. I’ll wrap it around the pulley and you can use it to climb down and get a better look at it inside.”

“I dunno…” Hiccup said, leaning back and biting his lower lip.

“Just do it,” Merida said. “The sooner we figure out what the Wisps were leading us too, the sooner we can get out of here.”

“But why me?” Hiccup scowled.

“You’re the smallest out of the two of you,” Rapunzel said. She pointed to her scalp. “It’s still my hair, you know.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, but nodded, helping Rapunzel with her hair and then flinging his good leg over the side. He shook his head.

“This isn’t going to work,” he said. “We’re going to have to make a swing. I can’t climb back up with my leg.” He motioned toward his metal leg.

“That’s alright,” Rapunzel said, and Merida helped her fashion a swing-like loop for the Viking. He carefully sat himself in it, then nodded to the girls.

“Ready when you are,” he said.

“Let me know when you get to the bottom,” Rapunzel said. “I’ll sing for some light.”

Hiccup nodded once more, and Rapunzel carefully began to lower the boy into the dark well. Merida stood beside her, still nervous, tense, as she watched the brunette disappear into the darkness.

After a few moments of silence, Hiccup’s voice sounded from inside the cavern.

“It’s a person, alright,” he called up. “But I can’t tell if he’s hurt or not. Gimme some light.”

“Flower gleam and glow,” Rapunzel began, singing the rest of her song. Her hair began to glow golden light, flowing down the well and illuminating the darkness. Merida peered down and watched as Hiccup’s dark, shadowed form began to take on shape and color.

Along with a well-recognizable figure floating in the water beside him.

“Jack!”

“What?!” Rapunzel cried, eyes going wide.

“It’s Jack!” Hiccup exclaimed, scrambling to grab onto their friend. He was able to get the teen in his arms and Merida quickly helped Rapunzel pull the two up.

When he got to the top, Hiccup carefully handed over the unconscious boy to Merida as he climbed carefully out of the well and Rapunzel gathered her hair around her. The single Wisp, which still remained, made Jack Frost’s pale skin even paler.

“Jack,” Merida called, softly tapping his cheeks as he lay on the cold hard ground. “Jack, wake up.”

The boy did not move.

“Jack, come on,” Hiccup said, jostling his shoulder. “You’ve got to wake up.”

“Is he hurt?” Rapunzel asked, running an eye over his still form.

“I don’t think so,” Merida replied. She smacked his cheeks a little harder. “Jack, _please_. Wake up!”

The Wisp next to them offered a small note and its light intensified. Merida gave Jack a final, hard slap on the face before the teen shot up, water flowing out of his mouth as he coughed.

The three other teens sat back on their heels, all breathing a sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank Thor,” Hiccup gasped.

“Easy, Jack,” Rapunzel comforted, rubbing a hand on his shoulder; his blue hoodie was soaked through, the frost almost nonexistent.

“Deep breaths,” Merida said.

When Jack seemed to get his breath back, he gazed at the trio, eyes wide.

“How’re you feeling?” Hiccup asked. “Better?”

“Uh…” Jack said, eyebrows scrunching in confusion.

“Yeah, we’re pretty surprised too,” Merida told him. “We can’t figure it out either.”

“Well, at least we’re all here now,” Rapunzel said, smiling. She stood, offering a hand to Jack, who stared at it like it was a foreign concept. “Let’s get going so we can dry you off and try to figure this whole thing out.”

“Come on, Jack,” Hiccup said, also standing. “We’ll get Toothless to start a fire. I know you’re a Winter Spirit and everything, but you need to dry and you’ll just frost over everything and then never get dry.”

Jack’s face seemed to get even more confused.

“Uh, not to border on being rude or anything,” he said, looking like he was choosing his words carefully. “But, uh… who are you?”

Hiccup, Merida, and Rapunzel all stared at him. Jack stared back.

Merida let out a fake laugh. “Very funny, Jack.”

But Jack was shaking his head. “No, really. You know who I am, obviously. But I have no idea who you are…”

“This is a trick, right?” Hiccup snorted. “It’s not funny, Jack. We just rescued you.”

Jack continued to stare at them in confusion.

“Guys…” Rapunzel said, chewing on her bottom lip, eyes wide. “I… I don’t think this is a joke.”

“Of course it is,” Merida argued. “It’s _Jack_.”

“Yeah, but where’s his staff?”

The girls turned to Hiccup. His eyes got wide. “It wasn’t in the well. I swear! There wasn’t enough room for it to be on it’s side, and it wasn’t sticking up in the water…”

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked, brow furrowing further. “Who are you people?”

The other three stared at him again.

“Well, this could be a problem…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate this chapter. I really, really do. It's so slow and I'm still trying to get a handle on the characters and how I want things to happen.
> 
> Also, the time screwiness will be explained later, I promise! Just go with it for now, okay!
> 
> This is also a big exercise in description, character development, and continuity for me, so feedback is greatly appreciated!


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack still has no memories and Toothless goes nuts.
> 
> Time for a chase scene?
> 
> Yes. Yes it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that this took forever to put up! I've been working on some original works for a while and my plot bunnies have been multiplying like crazy lately! So please enjoy this!

Rapunzel, Merida, and Hiccup all stared at Jack as Jack gawked at Toothless with wide eyes. The dragon was flicking his tail from side to side, eyeing the teen. The two had a rocky relationship to begin with, with Toothless not trusting Jack as far as he could throw him, and Jack always poking and prodding the creature in a teasing manner.

Now, Jack just seemed confused that he was staring at a dragon instead of a sort-of-friend.

And speaking of friends…

“But what do we do?” Rapunzel whispered, watching as Jack took a hesitant step forward, Toothless baring his teeth. Jack jumped back before he gave a small, shaky smile and stepped forward again.

“He doesn’t remember us,” Merida repeated, still in shock. “ _How_ can he not remember us?”

Hiccup shrugged. Jack had reached about a yard in front of Toothless, who had realized that something was wrong with the white-haired teen, and he had flipped his ears up, gazing curiously at the normally boisterous boy.

“This has to be a trick,” Merida continued. She gestured quietly to Jack. “I mean, he’s a _trickster_. That’s what he does.”

“I dunno,” Hiccup replied. “I mean, not even Jack could play a game like this for this long.”

Merida rolled her eyes, not convinced. “Please. Jack will play any game as long as he finds it entertaining.

“This is a little elaborate, don’t you think?” Rapunzel asked.

Hiccup shrugged this time. “Do you honestly think that Jack would be hugging Toothless right now if it wasn’t?”

Merida turned around and saw, to her and Hiccup’s surprise, that Jack was, indeed, giving Toothless a huge hug.

Well, it looked more like Toothless was the one who was hugging the teen, who had no other option than to wrap his arms around the dragon awkwardly.

“She’s right,” Hiccup agreed. “Jack would never let Toothless hug him. Or anyone else, for that matter. And Toothless wouldn’t hug Jack unless something was really wrong.”

 “But…” Merida argued, then frowned. She hung her head, then let out a frustrated groan, unable to come up with a plausible excuse. “It still doesn’t make any sense,” she muttered.

“I’m with you on that one,” Hiccup said. “Why is he the only one who doesn’t have his memories, while the rest of us do?”

“His staff,” Rapunzel proclaimed. When Merida and Hiccup looked at her, she nodded towards Jack and Toothless again. Jack was scratching a contented Toothless under the chin. “He doesn’t have his staff.”

“What does that have to do with his memories?” Merida scowled.

“No, it makes sense!” Hiccup agreed. “That staff is the one thing that Jack is never without. Same with Toothless and me, you and your bow, and Rapunzel and her crown.”

“But Rapunzel doesn’t have her crown.”

The blonde grinned sheepishly and pulled her hair aside, revealing a golden, jeweled crown nestled in her long locks. Merida rolled her eyes again.

“Okay, so we all have our things,” she said. “What does that have to do with Jack’s memory.”

“His staff is missing,” Hiccup stated. “Therefore, so are his memories.”

“We find the staff,” Rapunzel continued, realization dawning on her face as she rocked back and forth on her heels, “we find his memories!”

“Exactly!” Hiccup exclaimed.

“Are you sure it wasn’t in that well when we fished him out?” Merida asked.

Hiccup nodded. “Positive. I looked everywhere in there. Even outside the well. There was nothing.”

Merida let out another groan, throwing her hair backwards and letting it fall around her face in a fiery wave. “This is ridiculous. How does this even happen?”

“Got me,” Rapunzel said, picking at her hair as she watched Jack and Toothless.

“No, it actually kinda makes sense…. In a weird way…” Hiccup muttered. Merida gave him a surprised glance. “How are we all here together?” he added. Rapunzel and Merida looked at him.

“You think Jack’s memory and us being together are connected?” Rapunzel asked, surprised.

Hiccup nodded thoughtfully. “I’m not sure how, exactly, but I’m almost positive.”

“Yeah, you keep working on that theory,” Merida said.

“You got a better one?” Hiccup snapped, glaring at his friend, completely out of character.

“Yeah, actually,” Merida sneered. She leaned in close to the Viking. “It’s all a prank.”

“I thought we dispelled that theory,” Rapunzel interrupted, biting her lower lip.

“It’s not a prank!” Hiccup exclaimed. “It’s way too elaborate to be a prank!”

“This is _Jack_ we’re talking about!”

“He still wouldn’t do something like this!”

“Oh, how would you know? You don’t even like him to begin with!”

“Guys, that’s going a little far, don’t you think?”

“Look who’s talking!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Everything that goes wrong when the four of us are together is automatically Jack’s fault, according to you!”

“That is not true!”

“Actually, it kind of is….”

“Oh, _shut up_ , Rapunzel.”

“Hey! Don’t tell her to shut up!”

“I can take care of myself, Hiccup.”

“Oh, yeah. How’d _that_ work out for you in the end?”

 “At least I didn’t turn my mother into a bear!”

“No, you just pushed her out of a window at the top of a tower!”

“That wasn’t her real mother!”

“Shut it, _peg leg_!”

“Make me, _ginger_!”

“Hey! We don’t use that word!”

“I can fight my own battles, _princess_!”

“Uh, hello…?”

“Speaking of battles, how’d that last dragon battle go for ya’?”

“At least I defeated _my_ enemy!

“What and _I_ didn’t?”

“You can’t defeat ‘yer fayte’.”

“Um… guys…?”

“At least I don’t run away from my enemy.”

“Is that supposed to be a jab at me?”

“I’m lookin’ at ya’.”

“H-hello?”

 “Well, _I_ have all of my body parts!”

“ _I_ have my original hair!”

“ _I_ have _manageable_ hair!”

“Hey!”

The three teens turned as one and glared at the other person. “ _WHAT_?!”

Jack jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing behind him. “Which one of you owns the dragon?”

Hiccup scowled. “I don’t _own_ him,” he said. “We’re friends, and you don’t _own_ friends.”

The white-haired teen rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, your ‘friend’ just flew away.”

Hiccup stared at him for a moment.

“What?”

The three gazed at the empty space around the tower for a moment before a shadow passed over their heads. They jerked their gazes up and saw Toothless leap over them before running into the forest, sprinting faster than Hiccup had ever seen him.

“Toothless!” Hiccup yelled, eyes wide.

The dragon roared, continuing on into the trees.

“Toothless, come back!” Hiccup shouted, suddenly taking off as he ran into the forest on foot after his dragon.

“Hiccup, wait!” Merida cried, grabbing her bow and following him.

“Guys!” Rapunzel called. She began to run after them before she stopped, turning back to where Jack was.

He was still standing where the other three had been arguing only moments before, looking after her with a puzzled expression. Rapunzel sighed and hung her head briefly before she treaded back to the teen, grabbing his hand.

“Come on,” she told him, beginning to run after her other friends. “Let’s get Toothless back, and then we’ll figure out what to do about you.”

“Toothless?” Jack questioned, brow furrowing.

“The dragon,” Rapunzel clarified.

“You named a dragon Toothless?”

“Not my dragon,” Rapunzel said. Then she gave him a small smile. “But I get what your saying.”

“Not very creative,” Jack smirked, then furrowed his brow again, as if he was trying to figure something out.

Rapunzel missed his muttered words of “Just like Baby Tooth…” as they followed the others. But Jack merely shook his head and carried on, ignoring the headache that was slowly forming.

When the two finally caught up to Merida and Hiccup, they were on a river. Toothless was on the other side, angrily stomping the ground and roaring.

“What’s wrong?” Rapunzel asked, gasping for breath.

“I don’t know,” Hiccup replied. “I just… he jumped over the water and now he’s behaving like this.”

Toothless gave yet another roar and swung his tail around, splashing the river’s water all over the four teens.

Jack spat water out of his mouth and scowled. “Control your dragon, dude!”

“I’m _trying_!” Hiccup snapped, glaring at him. He ran a calculating eye over the river, taking in the depth, the width, and how fast the current was moving. “We can make it,” he stated, then turned and ran back to the treeline. There, he faced the trio and the river, then broke into a lope.

“Hiccup, wait!” Merida cried, but it was too late. The Viking leaped, and they all watched him soar in the air briefly before he landed in a roll on the other side. Hiccup jumped up, patted himself down, then shot a grin to the other teens.

“It’s not far!” he said. “Come on!” Toothless snarled at the water once more.

Merida took a step back, gripping her bow tightly. “I dunno…”

“Oh, it’ll be fine,” Rapunzel said, backing up before running and jumping. Her hair briefly fell in the water before she pulled it up, easily clearing the other side. She flashed Merida and Jack her own smile. “If Hiccup can do it, it can’t be that bad!”

“I’m right here!”

Merida rolled her eyes, then looked hesitantly at the water. “This isn’t safe…”

“Says the girl who turned her mother into a bear.”

“Oi!” Merida pointed a finger and scowled at a snickering Hiccup and Rapunzel. “I thought we weren’t going to mention that anymore.”

“Just get over here,” Hiccup called.

Merida bit her lip, then shot Jack a look. The white haired teen was looking at the water with fear written all over his face. He backed away furiously.

“Yeah, look, thanks for digging me out of the well and the introduction to dragons and the run through the forest, but, uh, I’m gonna get going so….”

“Jack, wait!” Rapunzel exclaimed, stepping forward and looking like she was going to jump back over the river to grab the teen. Merida stepped back and yanked on the hood of Jack’s sweatshirt, pulling Jack to sudden jerk as he attempted to flee.

“Ack!” Jack protested as he almost fell against the Scot, eyes wide and losing his balance.

“Look, I know you’re afraid of the water,” Merida said softly, casting a weary glance at the churning water. “But we’ve got to get to the other side.”

“I’m not afraid of the water!” Jack disagreed, sending Merida a glare.

Merida rolled her eyes. “Please,” she said. “I know all about your death and resurrection. No need to play the courageous one.”

Jack’s angry face morphed into a curious, slightly mortified look. “I died?”

“Oh, for the love of…” Merida groaned and dragged Jack over to the edge of the river, the teen scrambling as he tried to get away.

“I’m not going in the water,” Jack stated loudly, a hint of panic to his voice the closer they got.

To be perfectly honestly with herself, Merida wasn’t too keen on the water either. Almost drowning will do that to a person, but it wasn’t like she was going to admit that out loud to the rest of the group; she was supposed to be the brave one. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that they should stay away from the water at all counts. Something sinister lurked there, and it was something that Merida didn’t want any part of.

Still, she shook herself and easily tossed Jack forward. He wasn’t that heavy, and the wind-staff or not-always came to his aide and helped carry him over the river. His momentum sent him careening into Hiccup and Rapunzel, who didn’t move out of the way in time.

They all groaned in a pile and Toothless stamped the ground impatiently, snorting at Merida. The red head stepped back a few paces and then glanced at the water, gulping. She swore there was something in there, and that feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck was back. But there was nothing that she could actually see, and the river wasn’t that deep. Nothing so sinister could hide very well in the water.

She took a deep breath and then broke into a quick sprint, leaping the river gracefully and landing neatly on the other side. She stumbled a little and shook herself, picking up her dress where her feet were soaked, the bottom of her garment also wet. She frowned; she had swore that she had cleared the river enough to not get wet. And the surrounding ground wasn’t nearly wet enough to cause this much drenching.

Merida whipped her head back, sensing eyes on her, but there was no one. She shivered involuntarily, frowning, as her eyes drifted back to the water. Something was very, very wrong.

Still, Merida straightened, putting her fears back in her mind for later contemplation, before she turned her attention back to her friends. They were all just pulling themselves back to their feet. Jack shot her a glare.

“Was that really necessary?” he asked.

Merida shrugged. “If you weren’t such a stick, then maybe I’d have a harder time throwing you.”

“Did you have to throw him on us?” Hiccup’s voice came from the ground, where he gingerly pushed himself up. He also glared at Merida. “That was a little uncalled for.”

“I dunno, you cushioned my landing,” Jack replied, shooting the other boy a grin. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“Anytime,” Hiccup deadpanned. He reached out to help Rapunzel. “You okay, ‘Punzie?”

“Ugh,” the blonde groaned. “I’m fine.” She stood to her feet, brushing off her dress as she did so. “Why, Merida,” she groaned.

“Oh, stop your whining,” Merida smirked, adjusting the grip on her bow. She turned to where Toothless was heading down the river, growling as he followed the current, safely on land. “Besides, we’ve got more important things to worry about.”

“Not again,” Hiccup sighed. He took off at a run after his dragon. “Toothless, wait! Slow down, bud!”

The dragon ignored him and continued his plight. Rapunzel shot Merida a look and shrugged as if to say, “what’re you gonna do?” and quickly followed their friend.

“Again with the running,” Jack frowned. “Don’t you guys ever get tired of running and walking?” But he still broke into a jog and followed the others. Merida joined him.

“Not all of us can fly, snowflake,” Merida grumbled.

Jack shot her a look. “I can’t fly.”

“Right.” Merida nearly face-palmed. “Forgot about the memory thing.”

“Memory thing?” Jack looked even more confused, a hand flying towards his hoodie pocket, coming up empty when he pulled it out.

“We’ll explain later,” Merida promised. “Just focus on finding out what’s got Toothless so riled up first.”

“Yeah, see,” Jack said. “That’s what’s got me worried.”

“You, worried?” Merida faked gasped, eyes going wide. Jack frowned at her.

“I mean, I’m not an expert on dragons or anything, but their supposed to be pretty ferocious, aren’t they?”

“We’ve really got to get your memories back,” Merida sighed. “Toothless can be pretty impressive, but ultimately, he’s like a giant housecat. All love and none of the claws. Or teeth.”

“Is that why he’s called Toothless?”

“What?”

“’Cause I’m pretty sure that he’s got teeth and I’m just a little confused on the name.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Merida was having a little difficulty following Jack’s train of thought.

“Nevermind,” Jack frowned, forehead creasing again. “What I’m trying to say is, if something’s got a _dragon_ spooked, then maybe we should be a little more afraid than we are.”

Merida laughed weakly, and the two of them continued on in silence. But Jack had a point; of Toothless was scared or upset, then perhaps they _did_ have something to be scared of. After all, if a dragon was afraid, then maybe it was a bit bigger than they originally thought.

It was a while before Toothless even began to slow down, and the teens finally caught up. The surrounding landscape had changed a bit, the woods becoming thinner on the other side of the river and having a more desolate look than their side, which had grown more forest dense and heavy with plant-life. Between them, the river flowed calmly, widening marginally to well over twenty feet across. Toothless reached a spot where the woods opened up, a small clearing between the trees and the river, stopping suddenly. He gingerly walked up to the river’s edge, poking his nose in before stepping back quickly, shaking his head back and forth vigorously. He snorted and paced back and forth a few feet in front of the river before he promptly sat down and stared at the water.

The four teens finally reached the dragon, all breathing heavily. Hiccup gasped for breath, coming over to pet his dragon as much as lean on Toothless. Rapunzel and Merida bent over double, trying to get their breath back, while Jack simply sat on the ground and fell onto his back with a deep gasp, chest heaving.

“That was fun,” he choked. “Let’s not do that again.”

“Here here,” Rapunzel agreed. She picked up her head and looked at Hiccup. “He okay now?”

“I think so,” Hiccup said, gulping down a huge breath of air. He patted Toothless’ shoulder. “You done, bud?”

Toothless let out a small keen, pawed at the ground, and then laid down, head still towards the water, watching it warily. His tail swished once before stilling.

Merida shot Hiccup a look, to which he shrugged. “I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere else for a while.”

“Thank you!” Jack chirped.

“What the hell was that crazy dragon chasing anyways?” Merida asked. “I don’t see anything!”

“It’s something in the water,” Rapunzel said. She pointed to the river with a frown on her face. “He’s been following the current. And I swear, when we crossed, there was something swimming underneath."

“It’s too shallow for anything big to be in there,” Hiccup told her. But he was worrying his bottom lip in his teeth, expression unsure as he shot his dragon a glance.

Rapunzel shrugged. “Not in all the places.”

“I think whatever it is, it’s gone,” Merida said, walking over to the edge of the water, laying a hand on Toothless’s shoulder as she peered over the bank. The river flowed lazily, water easing over the rocks and around the branches and other obstacles without much fuss. Merida shivered, unnerved as she recalled piercing red eyes and a cold grip around her ankle, taking a quick step back.

“I’m beat,” Hiccup was saying as he leaned against the dragon, who was intently watching the water, eyes narrowed as his eyes scanned the moving river. “Why don’t we make camp here for the moment, get some rest, and then figure out this whole thing later?”

“I’m all for that,” Merida agreed, eager to just forget everything that had happened.

Rapunzel nodded. “I’ll go look for some firewood.”

“I’ll come with you,” Merida replied, straightening. She grabbed her bow from where she had it strung around her shoulder while she ran. “I can hunt us down some dinner.”

“I’m gonna stay here,” Jack supplied from where he was still lying on his back, arms crossed under his head. “Have fun.”

“Oh, no,” Merida growled. She stomped over to where the winter spirit lay and looked down at him. He cracked open an eye and stared at her. “You’re going to come help us.”

Jack pulled a face, but the rustling of a nearby brush caused them all to tense. Toothless stilled, then whipped around, growling. Merida readied her bow and notched an arrow. Hiccup took a step back, prepared to climb aboard the dragon if need be. Jack snapped upright, and Rapunzel, face full of concentrated fierceness, produced her frying pan- _where did she_ keep _that thing?_ Merida thought.

A small grey and black mixed rabbit hopped out from the bush. It’s ears twitched as its green eyes roamed over the teens, falling on each of them and lingering on Jack for a moment.

The two had a small staring contest, Jack’s face utter confusion and wonder before Merida let loose her arrow and the rabbit jumped away. It jumped towards Jack once before it decided against it and shot back into the forest, disappearing quickly.

“Drats,” Merida cursed, lowering her bow. “Missed.”

“Wait…” Jack said, quickly getting to his feet. “We should follow it.”

The others stared at him.

“I think maybe you hit your head in that landing,” Hiccup stated, frowning. “It’s a rabbit.”

Jack’s brow furrowed again for the third time that day and he frowned, but said nothing more. Merida rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards the woods after Rapunzel.

“Come on, you,” she said. “Let’s get some firewood. Hiccup, you stay here with Toothless. We’ll be back soon.”

“Be careful,” Hiccup called after them, already busying himself with trying to make their area fit for the night.

Merida waved a hand in acknowledgement and the three of them retreated under the trees.

In no time at all, the four of them were gathered around a fire, thanks in part to Toothless, Jack sitting unconsciously a little farther back from it than the others. The remnants of Merida’s hunt spread out around them, the bones of squirrels and rabbits and a fish scattered about. They had just updated him on what they knew was going on, but to their chagrin, Jack didn’t remember anything. Nothing. He didn’t remember a thing of his past or his life or any one.

“We just have to get your staff back,” Rapunzel said, patting the boy’s knee in comfort. “Then you’ll be all better and we can focus on getting home.”

Jack shrugged, frowning. He glanced up at the half moon, frown deepening as he stared at it.

Merida yawned. “Well, I’m pooped,” she said. She settled down and lay her bow on the ground within reach. “I’m gonna hit the sack.”

“Me too,” Hiccup said from where he was comfortably leaning against Toothless, body relaxed and drooping. The dragon blended into the night around them, alert as ever.

“Same,” Rapunzel agreed, eyes fluttering as she tried to keep them open. “We’ll figure out what to do in the morning.” Without much else, she got comfortable as well and leaned back, hair curling over her like a blanket.

Jack looked at them all, shrugging as he followed their example and settled down, curling into a ball with his back to the fire and the others.

They all bid each other good night and soon, one by one, they all drifted off. Toothless stayed awake for a long while, keeping a vigil eye on the coursing river, before the comfort of sleep pulled him under as well.

In the darkness of the night and the rustle of the nearby river, bright red eyes glowed under the moon’s light, watching them from the water’s depths. They blinked once and the flowing river sounded less like water against rocks and more like laughter.

The teens slept on, unaware that they were being watched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is stupid and short.
> 
> More action in the next one, I swear!

**Author's Note:**

> Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee it's a prologue!
> 
> I'm super excited to write this! I have great plans for it, and I actually know where I want this story to end up, which is a big deal for me. So enjoy! Chapters will be uploaded as I finish them.
> 
> Also, for the sake of this story, just assume that the four have met before. I don't know how or why, but I'm too lazy to write an introductory story for it, so just go with it.


End file.
